Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observance, Office Hours, Meeting and Event Highlights for the week of January 19th

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of January 19, 2026 

Office Hours:

I will have Virtual Office hours this Friday, January 23rd from 10am - 1pm. Meeting links will be added to my pinned blog post for Office Hour Dates by the end of today and are set up in 20-30 minute increments. I will also have an in-person office hour time block next Friday at Lakeview Library from 10am - 12pm.

Starting in February I will offer both an evening and morning time block.

Updates and Notices

Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day: City of Madison offices are closed on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. All emergency services will be open. In case of an emergency, please call 911. For non-emergencies, please visit the following webpage for contact information.

• Madison and Dane County MLK Day Observance - Overture Center, 5pm - 7:30pm
  • 5-5:45pm - Freedom Songs (sing along) in the Rotunda
  • 6pm - 7:30pm - Program in Capitol Theater

No Trash & Recycling Collection or Drop-off Sites on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 19, 2026):There will be no trash, recycling, large item pickup by the Streets Division on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday. The drop-off sites and Streets Division offices will also be closed. [posted January 13, 2026]

• Monday and Tuesday Collection days set out your bins for Tuesday January 20th pickup.

The Office of the Common Council Launches Its First Resident Newsletter: The "Common Council in Focus" newsletter, a new initiative from the Office of the Common Council, will launch on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. This publication aims to keep you informed about topics being considered by the Common Council… [posted January 12, 2026]

• This publication aims to keep you informed about topics being considered by the Common Council, opportunities to engage with alders, and other timely updates.
• Enhance your civic engagement by subscribing today at our Common Council Email List website! This page provides an option to join the “Common Council in Focus” newsletter, as well as access to the blogs of all 20 alder districts. If you have any questions, please reach out to Lorissa Banuelos, Community Engagement Strategist, at lbanuelos@cityofmadison.com.

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 20, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include executing a cost sharing agreement for the construction of the Madison LakeWay Community Causeway improvements.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

Virginia Terrace, Norwood Place, Rugby Row, Hillington Way, Wednesday, January 21: The City is planning a construction project on Virginia Terr (Virginia Terr cul-de-sac to Regent St), Norwood Pl (Virginia Ter to Hillington Way), Rugby Row (Virginia Terr to Hillington Way), and Hillington Way (Norwood Pl to Southwest Commuter Path). A public information meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Jan. 21, 2026, via Zoom. Registration prior is required.

Announcements and News Releases

• City of Madison Strengthens Commitment to Sustainable Building Standards : The City of Madison has raised its green building requirements for all City-owned facilities. [posted January 15, 2026]
• MPD seeking to learn lessons from ALCS shooting response: MADISON, Wis. – The Madison Police Department has requested a formal review of its response to the deadly shooting at Abundant Life Christian School.  The request comes with the utmost respect for the victims, survivors, their families and all… [posted January 12, 2026]
• Prevent Lung Cancer by Testing Your Home for Radon(link is external): A cancer-causing element known as radon can be found at high levels in roughly half of the homes tested over the past five years in Dane County. [posted January 12, 2026]
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Service: Due to the holiday, Metro will operate Saturday schedules on Monday, January 19. [posted January 12, 2026]

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

Events

• Groove & Glide | Rennebohm, Friday, January 23: Experience the fun and beauty of ice skating under the stars and lights with music and games.  All ages and experience levels are welcome. Groove & Glide events are free to attend and no registration is needed.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, January 24: Critter Tracks ~ Join Naturalist Paul Noeldner for a free, fun, family and kid friendly guided walk to explore Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Edna Taylor Conservation Park.  We will look for bird and animal tracks and signs!  
• Door Creek Park Ribbon Cutting & Winter Celebration, Saturday, January 24: Join City leaders, partners, and friends for a ribbon-cutting and winter celebration at Door Creek Park!
• Learn to Cross-Country Ski, Saturday, January 24: Join us for a free cross-country ski workshop at Door Creek Park, hosted by Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki)! This requires advanced registration, is free to attend and part of the Ribbon-Cutting and Winter Celebration. 
• Kiddie Basketball Clinic, Saturday, January 24 (This event occurs on multiple dates): This basketball clinic is designed for boys and girls in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Kids will learn the fundamentals of dribbling, shooting, passing and game-play. 
• Sound and Sense Immersion, Sunday, January 25: Sound and Sense Immersion is a 2-hour gentle and restorative meditation, light, aromatherapy and sound bath journey through the elements.

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.